Autism is a disorder. It is a term that includes many different developmental disorders of the psyche with similar symptoms. A person with a similar diagnosis has a number of problems that are reflected in social spheres, during communication, sometimes behavior is noticeable, which is determined by narrow interests, monotony.
This diagnosis can be seen all over the planet, in any nation, it does not depend on factors such as economic status, religion, culture, race. However, numerous studies indicate that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder than girls, at about a 4: 1 ratio.
Is Autism on the Rise?
There is ample evidence to show that autism is on the rise. While some medical experts say that this is because of environmental factors, others say that better diagnostic practices are revealing more cases of autism.
We have 20 times more cases of autism than we had in 1980. Moreover, data from Autism Speaks indicates that autism has continued to rise, becoming three times more in the last 15 years.
The following are a few causes for the rise in autism:
Better Diagnostics
With improved diagnostic techniques, healthcare professionals can now detect even the mildest forms of the disease. This disorder now includes many more symptoms than it did before.
Previously, such a diagnosis could only be received by a child with vivid symptoms, such as lack of speech, closed from society, or who showed ritual behavior with repetitions.
Later, doctors expanded the range of symptoms and accordingly began to assign a diagnosis more often. Now children who had several words in their vocabulary, but could not communicate, were focused on certain single things, on a particular toy, also received it.
Nowadays, the diagnosis has gone far ahead and this disorder includes many symptoms, even such as the inability to make a friend, maintain a relationship, but they speak well.
Hence, better diagnostic methods are responsible for the steady rise in autism.
Increased Awareness of Autism
Parents, teachers, caregivers, social workers, healthcare professionals and everyone involved are more aware of autism today than they used to be. The human society is deeply aware of the realities of this disorder, and the media is raising awareness of autism among all those involved with children, parents, teachers and caregivers.
Therefore, now primary examinations for autism in children are possible even before a year, while they are several months old. Also, many organizations give such recommendations: to conduct examinations for all children born after 18 months and before their two years. This is a very important recommendation, since the sooner medical assistance is provided, the better effect it will give.
A combination of factors such as increased awareness of the disorder, early research, and better diagnostic methods may have contributed to the rise in autism as it increases the number of children 2 years of age and younger being diagnosed.
Environmental Factors
Could the environment be causing the rise in autism?
There has long been talk among physicians about how strongly environmental factors influence the rise in autism. But all subsequent studies indicate that if there is any effect on the growth of the disease, then it is minimal, about 20%. The most important reason has remained unchanged – it’s genetics.
Another factor attracted attention – are vaccines to blame for the growth of the disease? But study after study on the subject has proven each time that vaccines have no effect on the growth of autism. But there are some parents who remain with such thoughts, vaccines in which there is a thimerosal substance are especially alarming, in their opinion it can contribute to the growth of the disease or its similar conditions. But all evidence-based medicine is confident that in this case there is no relationship. Likewise, the medical world has abandoned diet as a contributing factor to the development of ASD.
Among the main factors that may have the most important influence on the growth of autism remain: the age of the parents, the premature birth, the effect of pesticides, the use of certain medications while waiting for the child, for example, antidepressants, the large weight of the child’s mother, etc. But there is still very little evidence. A lot of research is still needed on the factors mentioned above until it is accurately announced in the medical world that they are the ones causing the rise in autism.
Developments in Medical Science
As the number of infants who survive major illnesses is on the rise, developments in the way we diagnose and treat medical issues may be a contributing factor. Some of these survivors, especially those born prematurely, may develop autism in the future. At the same time, it is worth noting that not all infants who survived illnesses become autistic.
Genetic Factors
So far, researchers have found that genetics is responsible for only a small percentage of cases of autism.
For example, Aubrey Milunsky, a geneticist at Boston University, says that major genetic abnormalities are seen only in 5% of autism cases and Fragile X Syndrome is responsible only for 3% of these cases. Fragile X Syndrome refers to a group of genetic conditions responsible for delays in mental development. Also, it is the most common known factor responsible for ASD or ASD-like behaviour.
Researchers also say that genetic instability may contribute to autism. According to a research study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, deletion and duplication of certain chromosomes may cause certain ASD cases.
In his report on autism, which appeared in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, Milunskey writes that chromosomal problems, such as chromosomal duplication in the mother, may cause autism in 1% of the total known cases of ASD.
But studies to identify specific genes as responsible for autism are in progress and experts agree that genetics is not the only cause of autism.
It’s a Puzzle
The simple truth is that we only suspect; we still don’t know the exact causes of autism. The rise of autism remains a mystery, a mystery to be solved by the medical world.
In the meantime, researchers are conducting research on this issue and providing answers. One of the important projects is monitoring 2000 children, specially selected different children: diagnosed, healthy, with developmental delays. The main goal of the project is to understand how the surrounding world and genes are interconnected and how this together affects the growth of the disease.
Now this project has established that most likely the mother, namely her immune system, can be the cause of the child’s autism in the future. For this study to take place, 163 mothers gave their blood.
There are other projects that have sufficient funding, for example, one of them observes the influence of various factors, for example, environmental and genetically important ones, which can theoretically lead to the appearance of the disorder (SEED project). It will take a long period of time, 2000 children will participate in several US cities, but for a more accurate study, the group will include participants with a diagnosis and healthy or developmental delay.
The people involved in this project must organize the collection of a substantial amount of data. from genetic factors these are: histories of family genetics, family history of diseases, information on behavior patterns, how toxins affect during pregnancy, various moments, for example, problems with sleep or with the stomach and intestines.
Even if these researchers find a medical, genetic, or environmental factor that “stands out,” they cannot claim that this factor is entirely responsible for the rise in ASD. Researchers agree that a puzzle can never have one solution.